Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-04-06

not row DO done. not because the oil.
vantoges were lacking, but because the
Government agencies would tax il IL
the wsy OF transportation charges for
the purpose Of driving out COMPETE
ton. The men who carry freight upon
the great national highways the
riyers--haye no power OF this kind.
They could not forestall the markets. II
one choose to charge exhorbitant rates
another would enter upon the same line
IN competition. Railroads now ask a,i-
tbority to fix rates which will drive fac
tories from the rivers. Their charges
were not TO be fixed in accordance with
any systematic adjustment OF rates, but
as amatter Of competition, in which one
party or the other must go under.
There were classes Of goods, and al
ways would be, which would go by rail
irrespective Of the rates of competing
lines. He noticed by the reports laid
before the commission by some Of
the roads that their through traffic
was only 20 per cent. of their total
traffic. Now, what proportion would
they lose il compelled to adopt uniform
ratesp In his opinion, it would be in
considerable. Touching local trade,
one man, whose shipments were but
half a carload, was compelled to pay
fOurth-class rates, while q larger ship
per OF the same sort OF material, ship
ping hundreds OF carloads, was given
rates OF the fifth-class, and reaped ad-
yantages from this discrimination, which
had n tendency to crush ont small ship
pers. In his opinion il was the purpose
Of the law to prevent these discrimina-
tons. which greataggregationsand
tend TO the production of gullivers and
pigmies. Vice-Presidert Smith, of the
Louisville and Nashville road, said
that, so far as the Southern Association
was concerned, there was no discrimi-
nation in favor of large cities. The
managers of railroads recognized that
it was not fortheir interest to centralize
business and trade.
George +. Blanchard. chairman OF
the Central Traffic Association. ap.
peared and addressed the commission
briefly in behalf OF the Michigan rail-
roads, setting forth the circumstances
which led to the establishment of lower
through rates from Milwaukee across
the Lake, and thence across the State
Of Michigan than could be given for
local traffic by reason OF all-rair compe-
tition ria Chicago. These roads asked
permission to maintain their local rates
irrespective of through rates until such
time as the commission shall be able to
take the peculiar circumstances and
situation into co nsideration.
John $. Lazarmo, general freight
agent OF the Indianapolis, Decatur and
Springfield railway, applied by letter
for ''the privilege of charging less on
grain and other traffic received from
connecting lines at functions than we
make from our local stations" He
says, for example, that local freight
from Tuscola, ILL.,, to Indianapolis is
9 cents, and the rate from indianapolis
to New York is 90 cents, making 80
cents from Tuscola to New York. The
rates of the other roads are 27I cents,
and if this road participates in the con
necting-line business it must reduce
local rates by Al cents.
A. ID. Smith, general passenger agent |
Of the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie road,
has presented a petition asking that the
long and shor, haul provision be
waived for the present as regards the |
transportation of passengers between
IDstAe lr,rfxh av.1 Naut VAVly 1l,,c Inn
is longer than the Pennsylvania route, |
with which it is in competition, and to
get small portion OF the passenger
traffic has put down rates to $3.50 for
second class and So. 80 for frst-class as
against $1,000 by the Pennsylvania
route.
II. A. Anderson, superintendent OF
Company extending from Atlanta to
Chattanooga, petitions to be relieved
from the operation of the fourth Sec
ton, and to charge less for longer
than Tor q shorter haul to, from and
through Atlanta, Rome, and Chatta-
noogs and intermediate points, i'll order
for said company to meet the water
cOIuptGtOu db hcuit, ShhtIanOoSh,
Montgomery, and Augusta.
The commission went into secret ses-
sion, and considered petition present
ed by the Southern Railway and Steam
ship Association asking relief from the
operations of the long and short haul
clause of the interstate commerce act.
Although no final conclusion was reach
4 10 1.en,ce,A,N x,1fnota1 That tho |
operations of this clause of the law will
be temporarily suspended as respects
these roads pending full hearing of
their case. 1t is probable that deci-
sion will be arrived at tomorrow and
that public announcement will be made
Of the conclusion reached.
The New Interstate Law.
lBy telegraph to the Dispa,ch.l
New YORK, April 5.-The new inter
State law went into effect to-day, and
so far no difficulty in regard to the new
rates has arisen. At the Office OF the
Association, in this city,
IL was stated that the new rule was
satisfactorily, but that some in
terests would be sure to conflict. These,
however, were so triAing that they
could easily be settled by the agents.
W. L. Malcolm, general eastern agent
Of the Santa FG road, and William f
Hall, general eastern agent ofthe South
EN- Pacific, also stated that the new
law was working evenly. The new
rates have been posted in the dep5ts,
according to law, and the travelling
public could see at once what the Va
rious classitications are. The abolition
Of the free-pass system is favorably re-
ceived by that portion of the public